A time for everything

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Don't ask me why, but as a child I found this passage somewhat fascinating. Maybe because it seems to encompass every human emotion. Maybe because in our society some of these things (a time for war, a time to kill) are not considered very politically correct, or are unpopular.

And yet it's hard to argue with the Author of these words.

I was thinking last night in particular of "A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;"

I have a dear friend who over the course of the last 3 weeks has probably called me 7 or 8 times to say that one or the other of her parents was just taken to the hospital. She has had to pull her daughter out of preschool, cut way down on her job, and her husband has had to take extended leave from work. Her father has to be flown from Alaska to Seattle to the VA hospital every time he requires testing, which means someone has to be home with her mother, who has also been in and out of the hospital multiple times with internal bleeding in her brain.

So I'm always the first phone call. And I expect to be. Where else is she supposed to turn?

We seem to live in more of a feel-good world than ever before. And a very self-centered one as well

When someone is going through a tough time, we haven't got time for them. We don't want to be "burdened" with their problems. We only want to hear about things that make us feel good. (That's for you, sweet blogging mother of two).

Not that there is anything wrong with enjoying life, and the fruits of our labor. Our country has been known of old as the place where, if you're willing to work hard, you can succeed and become somebody.

But maybe we've taken it too far. Look at all the celebrities and well-known people who, in spite of their wealth and material possessions, seem to live a life of disfunction and destruction. Dare I mention a well-known pop star whose life is in a complete downward spiral? I could make a list of people, but the media seems to have that well-covered.

And yet these are the very people that so many of our children idolize and emulate (which is why so many little girls are dressing like little tramps today, if you'll pardon the expression).

Thank goodness there are still firemen, policemen, paramedics, soldiers, ect. who our kids can look up to as real heroes, although many of these people have to work a job on the side to make ends meet. (I babysit for one).

When our country was threatened by 9/11, you couldn't find an American flag in the stores (they were all sold out). Both democrats and republicans stood side by side in patriotic fervor. We were proud to be an American and of all that democracy stood for.

But it would seem that was only a fad; here today, gone tommorrow. I'm not arguing for the war here, but there are still threats to our country and freedom. And there are still brave men and women in other countrys laying down their lives to defend us.

Meanwhile, the biggest political questian of the day seems to be whether people will vote color or gender(?).
Have they forgotten there are actually issues to be addressed?

Hmmm..."A time to speak, and a time to be silent" is sounding good about now.

A hodge-podge of updates

Just thought I would update on some of the things going on at our house:

My oldest son (with some help from his younger siblings) spent 4 hrs building this snow fort in our backyard. Unfortunately, it is starting to melt away, as is the rest of the snow in our yard.

But it was fun while it lasted!

I am proud to announce I have lot 7 lbs since starting my diet the beginning of this year (I hope to make it 8 by the end of the month!).

I have been doing it the old-fashioned way of just eating right, drinking tons of water, and spending 20-30 minutes a day in exercise. I am feeling more energy, and getting more accomplished. Only 11 more lbs to go!

Our tax forms finally arrived! (Anyone else happy about this?)

My girlfriend in Alaska called to say she will be going to Seattle the middle of the month and hoping to make a stop to visit with us for a few days. I usually see her every 3-4 yrs, but this will be her second visit in 6 months!

My newest project is reorganizing our school area. This will be a big job since I have a ton of stuff in a small area.

I think I better go start right now!

My Weekend Triumph

Ever have a job that you are just chomping at the bit to do, but every time you start it something else comes up? (By something else, I mean hubby and kids and running of the house). Well, I finally was able to get to organizing my storage closet this weekend.

Off to the side is my before picture. Now, before you judge me to be a totally hopeless housekeeper, let me defend myself.

I love lists, I love organization. While I am by no means a perfect housekeeper, I do strive to do my best in that area. To the extent that I really don't care for unexpected visitors- they never stop by when my house is gleaming and sparkling. Or if they do stop by on a freshly cleaned day, I suddenly notice there is something sticking out from under the couch. But back to the subject.

When we moved to our present home, I thought it would be a great idea to use the heavy duty moving boxes we had bought for the move to store things in my new large (atleast to me) storage closet.

What I didn't count on was the little pest that invaded us last fall. The field behind our house is home to many field mice. And one managed to nibble a hole throught the storage wall. Who would have known such a little thing could cause so much damage?

And we tried to catch that little rodent with every trap available- humane and not. But that little rodent was just too smart.

One day my son walked up to me and said "Mom, there's a mouse sleeping under your treadmill." Sure enough. Problem solved- and no mice were harmed for the writing of this post.

So I pulled everything out of the closet, temporarily depositing it in my bedroom. The bedroom with the Kingsize bed, dresser, several side tables, 2 file cabinets, an office desk, treadmill...you get the general idea. It was just a little bit crowded.

I went through every one of those boxes, hoping I would not catch some disease from the by product it left behind. Sadly I had to throw some items away.

So here is my after picture. I picked up the lovely sterilite containers at Kmart on sale for $3.99 (okay, so maybe they are a dull gray- but what a deal). I also put an organizer on the closet door, front and back.

Every bone ached by Saturday night, but what a lovely sight!

Snow, Beautiful Snow!

We awoke this morning to a lovely white covering on the ground! The kids are so excited and hurriedly putting on their winter outerwear (which I just happened to pick up in the last week).

We will be leaving for church in a couple of hours, but I canceled all baths (don't tell anyone) so they can have some fun in the snow- you never know how long it will stick around here.

Well- time to go get some pictures as proof!

Friday freebies

Okay, just a quick note to recommend a blog I recently came across. The Motherload (posted in my blogroll, I couldn't get my link function to work for some reason) has their friday freebies listed. They have lots of other great posts, but it's worth a stop just to check out the freebies! And if you know of any other similar blogs- please share!

Liver Detox

I know- just the post you were hoping to read today- LoL. I have to admit a great interest in health and healing matters. I can't help but feel that there are many natural options to deal with our health ailments. But I also can't afford to go to the local healthstore and stock up on all those wonderful little bottles that can work wonders for a person. So I try for a good balance, and hopefully a low-cost one.

Enter good ol' cranberry juice. I love the stuff in almost any form. And cranberries are a power food.

Next on the list : Flaxseed. This is the first time I tried this. Hubby thinks it tastes a little funny. I thought it tasted a little bit like Oatmeal (when mixed with liquid). With it's mild flavor, it's definitely something I could learn to live with. And great fiber. So a few tablespoons added to a drink, or even yogurt, helps you feel full. And I recommend ground flaxseed (Bob's red mill if you can get it), and don't forget to refrigerate it to keep it fresh.

The first phase of the liver detox I'm describing is done in 24 hrs of only liquids allowed. This is followed by 2 days of a specific diet (not weird, really workable) which is supposed to both cleanse your liver AND kickstart metabolic fat-burning. You can lose 5-7 pounds this way, but safely (I'm a big stickler for that).

So here's the recipe if you want it:

1. 80z all-natural cranberry juice (concentrate-NOT diluted) I used R.W. Knudsen brand.
2. 56 oz of water - Okay, I messed up on this part when I did it. For some reason I thought this meant a gallon of water, while it is actually only a 1/2 gallon of water- I wondered why it made so much!

Bring to a light boil. Place 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg in a tea ball and steep for 15 minutes. Cool the mixture, then stir in 3/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, and 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Add SleviaPlus natural sweetener to taste (my store didn't have plus so I just used reg.Stevia).

The first 8oz of cranberry mixture of the day you will add 2 Tbsp of ground flaxseed to. Then hourly ( for the next 12 hours) you alternate between water (8oz) and the cranberry mix (you only add the flaxseed to the first and last cup of the day).

The next two days your diet needs to be the following:

Breakfast: 2 eggs, veggies, water with lemon

Snack: Yogurt (with live cultlures) sprinkled with ground flaxseed, fresh or frozen berries ( I used Nancy's nonfat vanilla yogurt)

Lunch: 60z protein, Salad with beets, artichokes. *Okay, so maybe it's a little weird with the beets and artichokes, but it's much better than the diets I've seen that make you eat really weird stuff. There is a method to the madness here: beets and artichokes contain an antioxidant that increases fat-dissolving bile. Just plug your nose and swallow! *I did only beets and skipped the expensive artichokes.

Snack: Baked apple with cinnamon and nutmeg. Now THAT is just yummy!

Dinner: 6oz lean protein, cruciferous veggies (cauliflower, broccoli) These enhance the liver's ability to break down fat.

I found this in a woman's magazine. I heard the book "the fat-flush plan" has a similar recipe. I've never read the book, perhaps I should. Anyway, I just thought I better say that.

And I realize that I actually love veggies so this was an easy one for me, but if you don't care for broccoli and beets, maybe not so easy for you. It was very hard for me to eat so much protein, it was atleast twice as much as I eat in a typical day.

Hope this helps somebody else. If not- I now have another place to find the recipe when I lose it next time!

**I lost about 3 lbs over 3 days, but many people lose 5-7 lbs. I was already on a low-fat, high fiber diet before doing this and that may account for the difference. Also, the afore mentioned fact that I watered down the juice mixture could have affected it, since I made it probably only half as potent. I plan to try it again in a month or so.

Much Ado about Nothing

I am writing this post to basically say "yes, I am still in the land of the living" (Mrs.D). My daughter and I have both been under the weather this week. We are slowly but surely getting better.

While some people can write very good posts when afflicted, I am not one of those people. Once my head starts to hurt (which seems to be the one symptom for everything that I can count upon) all clear thinking disappears. I put things in strange places, and usually say the opposite of what I mean to say.

So yesterday, amid those chores that could not be ignored, I tried to get extra rest. You would think my kids would have been continually at the bedroom door, but they weren't.

The oldest was busy making cards (similar to baseball cards) that featured family and friends. They were actually quite humorous as he gave them all traits and different powers. And the most powerful of all? His little sister! The middle child spent alot of time writing little comic strips, mostly consisting of aliens and dragons. And my under-the-weather daughter did lots of coloring and watching of Dora dvd's.

And meanwhile I'm also doing a 3-day liver detox. But I'll leave those details until tommorrow when I will officially be through with it (I know, the suspense is killing you!). LoL

Some of our favorite books

I could talk about books forever. Not necessarily eloquently. But I do admit to a definite love affair with books. It really saddens me when I hear a child make the statement "I HATE reading!". I can't help but think of the wonderful things of which they will miss out.

Fortunately, that isn't the case with my children so far. In fact, I've lately been occasionally scolding my oldest son for reading when he is supposed to be doing other things. He tends to get so absorbed in what he's reading, that he loses contact with the "real" world (I wonder who he gets that from?).

So I thought I would share a series that has turned out to be a favorite of both my son, and myself.

About 2 years ago, I discovered the Dear America Series by Scholastic. These are fiction books written in Journal/diary style, but based on real times and events in America. They span a huge variety of subjects: 4 wars, the gold rush, the Oregon trail, Irish/Scottish Immigrants, Native Americans, Pilgrims, Slaves, the sinking of the Titanic, the school for the Blind and many, many more. What I especially like is the amount of detail included, because they are basically day-to-day events.

I told this same son (10 yrs old) to give me a list of 5 things he would like to receive for Christmas. Topping his list was "History Books" (he's definitely MY son). Well, it just so happened I had run across a set of 4 books at the thrift store. And they were all about the male species. They were the My name is America books, which are basically along the same lines. They are all well written, and really allow children to put themselves " in the shoes" mentally of kids that were their age, but in another era.

I can't resist including the Royal Diaries (also by Scholastic) in this post. They are also basically the same idea of a journal/diary but about...well, royalty. There is Cleopatra (who supposedly wasn't that beautiful, but rather intelligent), and Anastasia of Russia was definately one of my favorites.

These books are meant for approximately 10 yrs of age (depending on your childs reading ability) and older, but I gobbled them up myself. And thoroughly enjoyed them! Of course, I told myself I was collecting them for my daughter...the one who is 5 yrs old now.

Most libraries probably have copies of these books to lend out. I love to OWN books (I'm a re-reader) and collected mine through Ebay (which does a THRIVING business of these books-they resell very well) and my local thrift stores. They have wonderful covers (hardback) and attached ribbons.

Well, that wraps up this installment of some of our favorite books. Think I'll take advantage of a school day off to curl up with a book myself. Happy Monday!

PLEASE SEND SNOW!

Just about the time I was ready to post about the endless rain we were having here in the Northwest, it decided to stop. Being that we had record rain for this time of year, early in our season, it is a welcome change. The temperature has also dropped. According to my calculations (and all that stuff I learned in school) there should be snow.

So where is it? It appears to be hanging out down South, atleast that's what I've read on some of my favorite blogs. It seems to be quite a novelty there. And makes for some slippery driving conditions for those who aren't used to it.

I grew up in the Midwest (southern Indiana) and loved the winter time. Yes, it got very cold at times. And we often used kerosene heaters instead of the house heat to prevent high heating bills. We all wobbled around in layers of clothes like penguins.

For a child, it gives wonderful memories of sledding, snowball fights, snow angels, and snowmen. When you went indoors afterwords, there were always steaming cups of hot chocolate, the real stuff (no offense swiss miss).

Of course, as an adult I soon saw the big picture. Driving those slippery roads can be dangerous. I once was driving alongside a semi, hit a patch of ice, and flew right across his path and down an enbankment. He (the semi-driver) called the ambulance, thinking I might be a goner. But I made it out just fine, and my dad never noticed the small dent in the front of the car. My guardian angel saved the day on that one.

Then there was the time my husband was driving his work van on the Dan Ryan expressway. He hit a patch of ice and started a 20+ car pile-up (during morning rush-hour traffic to boot!). No one was injured, but there were alot of dented cars. What was humorous about it was the fact that his older brother, stationed in Japan at the time, saw footage of it on the news there! He still made it to his 9 am college class on time.

I remember once shopping for groceries in 30 degrees below zero weather (not so bad if your car has heat, mine did not!). But it was my shopping day (and I had no kids at the time).

Five years ago we drove back to the midwest (call us crazy) for my little sister's wedding. In the month of December (call us really crazy). About halfway there I looked at my hubby and asked "Was it always this cold?"

It would seem I've grown used to the mild (albeit wet) Northwest winters. And mostly unslippery roads.

So maybe I don't want snow for the long-term. But 2 or 3 snow days would be great. Okay, maybe even a week. And not these wimpy little flurries we've seen so far. Enough to make a real honest-to-goodness snowman.

So I say to our southern friends: Enjoy the snow while you have it (and stay safe).

And when you're done with it: send it up here ya'll!

What you'll find under my living room couch

A friend of mine said you can tell a good housekeeper by how clean it is under their couch. Meaning that, if they know someone is stopping by, they may quickly pick up items from the floor and furniture, but probably won't think of under the couch. I must say- that gave me reason to pause. So I always remember to check that spot during my daily tidying of the house- atleast the part visible to the casual observer.

And so it was that I happened to see a corner of paper sticking out from under my couch. As I looked it over, I couldn't believe it. It was the test results of my eldest son's state testing. We did this testing right around a year ago. At the time I was anxious to know the results. But anything government takes time, and it really had pretty much slipped my mind.

So here it was.

Not only did he meet state standards, but he actually excelled!
May I say I am one proud mama?

Okay, I know he was only in the third grade. But it is still a boost to this homeschooling mom.

And it is probably more a reflection of his personal brightness than my teaching ability.

When I started homeschooling, it was a matter of finances. I didn't want to send my kids to public school (just a personal choice, hubby went to public school and turned out quite nice!) but couldn't afford to send them to our Christian school ($260. per kid each month-and that's cheap for this area). Then there was the fact that my youngest with her issue (apraxia) could not go to either school.

So, homeschooling seemed to be the choice left standing.

Our first year we tried Connections academy. And I know I may just have ruined my reputation. You see, many homeschoolers (atleast the parents) feel you are a traitor to the cause to use a "government" program to homeschool your kids. That you are basically taking the easy way out. And I have to admit I can see their side somewhat.

But I assure you, it was not the easy way out. I've never worked so hard homeschooling! We often spent 6-7 hrs each day working on schoolwork, and worked on school projects on the weekend. And none of their classes were combined (as in Science or History) so mom's brain was busy computing the whole time. It was quite stressful.

In early Spring I finally decided it (connections academy) wasn't for us. But I can assure you, I am not quick to judge people who choose to go that path. I really feel anyone who takes on homeschooling their kids deserves to be supported and encouraged. It's an incredible challenge.

And if they feel they are not up to the challenge, they shouldn't be criticized. It's not for everybody. I know a few people whose children would be in mortal danger if they should try to homeschool- and I'm not totally joking there. Some people are not mentally up to it. Life has to go on while you homeschool, and not everyone can do that balance.
Or needs to.

So, now we are up to the present day. I love homeschooling. We are doing a different curriculum, and I have found some electives that are as much fun for me as for the kids! Two days a week we go to a friend's house and combine literature and English grammar.

That's right- my kids are taught two classes by Mrs. Darling at Dishpan Dribble! This is a blessing in more ways than one. Not only do they get a little social interaction with other kids, but it also gives me one-on-one time to work with my little girl. Mrs. Darling has been an incredible encouragement to me on my homeschooling journey- I wish everyone could be so blessed.

And so, instead of working a job to add to the household income (like I thought I would be doing by now) I am homeschooling three kids. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I get by. And I'm pretty sure my eldest son will bypass me in a few years, as he seems to have inherited partial genius from some unknown ancestor (well, hubbys pretty smart too).

And I apologize to anyone who feels misled by the title to this post.

But you see, it was really nice to find those test results under the couch instead of the old peanut butter and jelly sandwich, covered with ants, that I found last time!

The Clutter that I Hate but can't seem to get rid of

A place for everything, and everything in it's place. I love that saying, it strongly appeals to my inner desire for organization.

So why can't I get rid of all the clutter taking up valuable square footage in my home?

Could it be that there is a conspiracy in my home? Could it be that I am outnumbered 4 to 1? That as quickly as I dispose of said clutter, it is replaced with more items?

I am therefore resolved to do some major decluttering in the next few weeks. Around my regular schedule of homeschooling, church, doctor visits, ect. After all, a womans got to do what a womans got to do.

My "dream" room would be one full of shelves and cubicles and sterilite containers. When I needed something, I would smoothly glide over to the appropriate spot and remove the desired item. My husband and children would sing my praises as the wife/mom who knows exactly where everything is. I would save so much time with said room that I would finally have time to get a hobby (I'm quite certain I once had one of those).

Like I said, that's my dream room. But I'm willing to settle for far less.

Today, while sharpening a pencil for my youngest child, I tripped over a small mound of clutter near our school table. You'll be glad to know that instead of using the schoolroom window to break my fall, I was able to divert myself (just barely) onto the lego table. It still wasn't very pretty.

And if I'm going to throw my back out, could it please be while doing something more enjoyable than this (or atleast more dignified)? And why does the Doctor ask how you did it anyway?

So I am hereby warning my family: there's a new mommy in town. If it really is your favorite toy/picture/unidentifiable object, keep it out of the pile. I'm cleaning up this town.

Diets, Migraines and More

So, after almost 2 weeks of dieting, I am happy to announce I have lost around 4 pounds. I really hate that word: diet(ing). It makes me think of the latest fad that everybodies doing. You know, where they lose 20 pounds in two weeks by drastic measures and then go back to their former way of eating. Of course, those lost pounds often come back within a short amount of time. Okay, I may have exaggerated that time span, but you get the general idea.

I went out after church last evening with a friend of mine and we spent awhile talking about this very subject. We are both on diets right now. But we're not taking any drastic measures. We both want to have the benefits that weight loss and exercise will give us. I can't imagine anyone having more energy than this friend of mine, that's definitely a scary thought. She's moving all day long. Just listening to her schedule for a day makes me feel the need for a nap. And she's healthy as an ox (haha- sorry, it's an inside joke). I think she's thinking more of 10 years from now and how her weight may affect her health then. She is close to 50, but still has two young children. I don't even want to imagine myself 10 years from now in this area.

While I wouldn't mind fitting into my clothes from several years back, that's not my main goal. I am feeling the need, really almost an urgency, to get my body into a healthy state. I see so many people around me suffering from illnesses that are so tied in to how they eat, and how they take care of their body. I find it hard to understand why they are willing to suffer when they have the power to make a difference in their health.

I'm not professing myself as an authority on health. Or saying that everything can be fixed in this way. I'm just saying that too many people act as if they are helpless when it comes to adding to their quality of life in this area. Yes, I may end up with cancer, in spite of my careful eating. But I believe I will have had a better quality of life leading up to that time.

One good example of this is migraines. I rarely ever had a headache growing up. After my middle child was born, the migraines started. Anyone who has studied migraines knows that there is quite a bit of quesswork on what causes them. There are so many triggers: diet, sleep, allergies, hormones, foods, other health issues, stress,ect. If you've never had a migraine, I can't really describe what it's like. They are incredibly painful. And disorienting. And exhausting.

A couple years ago, I was to the point where I was having atleast a low-grade migraine every other day. I was managing to get by through popping over-the-counter medicine, but just barely managing. When I went to the Doctor, they had the solution: take a pill every day to keep the migraines away. The only problem: the pill made me terribly ill.

I started to see a Chiropractor and found that I had several vertabrae that were slipping out in my neck. Now, a year later, I don't have near the amount of migraines I used to. I'm careful not to go too long without eating, and I try to drink plenty of water. But, in spite of so many things I've tried, they haven't completely stopped. They are something that I've had to learn to live with. But I have been able to influence their frequency. It's alot easier to endure 2-3 migraines a month than one every-other-day.

I know we live in a busy, hurried society. And even though I homeschool (or maybe it's because I do?) I don't always have alot of time to make "special" food. Because of that, I have to stick to basics when I eat for my health. Lots of fresh fruits and veggies, healthy grains, lowfat meats. Fortunately, I love that stuff so it may be easier for me because of that. But then, I also love ice cream, homemade chocolate chip cookies, pie, dark chocolate and pastrys! (with special emphasis on those last two).

And while I'm rambling, I'll add something else I read today. The University of N.C. did a study on the drinks we consume. They found on average that people (in general) consume 450 calories daily through what they drink. This amounts to 23 lbs a year that we have to work off or just carry around with us. Wow! Did I hear someone mention Starbucks?

During my last pregnancy I spent six months on feeding tubes. Some of this time was in the hospital, but most of it was at home. I carried a backpack hooked up to a pic-line IV in my arm. Twice a week, a home health nurse would come by and redo my bandages. I was a rare patient for her, pregnancy being my main ailment. Most of her patients had cancer of some kind. Talking to her really made an impression on me. I realized how fortunate I was: after my baby was born I would be through with all this (On top of getting the Bonus of the baby!).

6 months of feeding tubes, multiple blood infections, continual heavy medication. I determined I wanted to be as healthy as I could be. Afterwords, I lost 30 pounds through eating well and daily exercise. It was rumored I was starving myself, but I wasn't. I just had really good initiative.

And now I find myself not in the same place as before, but not where I should be. Should I just say it? Junk tastes good! If it didn't, there would be no need for that all-important self-control. Then we could all happily nibble on our carrots and broccoli with never a glance at that delectable cinnamon roll (did I mention I really like those too?).

And exercising, while being somewhat energizing, is still exhausting. And not nearly as fun as reading a book or going shopping. And when I said I needed 20 minutes to myself each day, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind for that time!

So, I confess I had a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie last night at the restaurant. And a scoop of ice cream to go with it. And it tasted very similar to what I expect heavenly food will taste like. But today I happily go back to my "diet". As much as I enjoyed that dessert, I enjoy more the extra energy I've started to feel. The better sleep I'm getting. The loss of that bloated feeling. The generally good feeling that comes from being in control of oneself. And maybe even the way my clothes fit just a little better yesterday~

Childhood Apraxia

The baby of our family is five years old and referred to as the "princess." I personally consider her a miracle, as I (as well as my Doctor) really didn't know if she would make it through my difficult pregnancy. But after six months of my being on feeding tubes, multiple pic-line IV's, 4 blood infections, and countless hospital stays, she came into the world. We were thrilled.

When she was about three-years-old it became pretty clear that she had some kind of a speech delay. It wasn't that she didn't talk- she did. But it was complete gibberesh. The one word that could be recognized was "Mama". (That's my girl!) So we started the tests.

Her hearing was fine. She was speech delayed, and we needed to put her in a special class. It just so happened the little gradeschool down the road had a once-a-week class, and so we promptly started taking her there.

But after six months I questioned the Teacher: "She doesn't seem to be making any progress. I mean, she actually interacts more than most of the other kids in the class, but her speech is still the same. " To which he replied "Oh, you noticed that too?" That wasn't exactly what I wanted to hear.

My daughter is a beautiful, energetic, bubbly little girl. And I'm completely unbiased in my opinion of that- just like any other parent:) I am so thankful that she is healthy, and that she has no severe disabilities or issues due to my pregnancy. I was on several medications while pregnant with her, including one used for cancer patients to control nausea. It really came down to the lesser of two evils.

But what mom doesn't want their child to go smoothly through life without hitting any bumps in the road? And this could turn into a big bump.

So I started researching the issue of speech delay online. And that's how I found Childhood Apraxia.

Childhood Apraxia is a motor speech disorder. A child with apraxia has trouble (to varying degrees ) programming and planning speech movements. The words we speak have a definite sequence of sound and syllable that must be ordered together. For most of us when we talk, it all flows together without a thought. But children with apraxia cannot access these speech motor plans/programs.

Well, I finally had my answer. My daughter wasn't getting better because she wasn't the typical speech delayed child. I had mixed feelings about this. I felt like I had something to work with now, instead of just worrying about her lack of progress. But with this new diagnosis came the knowledge that we were looking at possibly years of one-on-one speech therapy.

So we started the search for a speech therapist. About this time, hubby started a new job. It wasn't great pay, but it did have excellent insurance. And it just so happened that there was a man who took appointments two nights a week at our little local hospital. He is a teacher at OHSU, and works with failure-to-thrive and severe speech delayed children. He came very highly recommended. God definitely had a hand in this!

So, at almost 5 years of age, my daughter was finally getting the help she needed. When she started, about 7 months ago, she could say about 5 words that people in general could understand. She could not say even a complete phrase, let alone a sentence.

Now she can say so many things, including "I love You". It thrilled my heart the first time she said that! We still have a long way to go, but it feels so good to be making progress.

To people that don't normally interact with her, it's still extremely difficult to understand alot of what she says. But family and friends see the improvement. I try to ignore the occasional person who says "I can't understand anything she's saying. Why can't she talk normal?" Some just pat her on the head and say "that's nice honey" to whatever she says. I know they don't mean to be offensive.

She is learning sign-language to help with communication with others, and we work at home on various techniques. Her Speech Therapist is very pleased with her progress.

It is because of this that I now find myself homeschooling her for her first year of school. My pediatrician said the public schools aren't equipped to deal with this type of speech delay, and I know she would not get the help she needs at our (or any) Christian school. So, for atleast the next 2 or 3 years, I will be her teacher.

I really don't mind this, as I love getting to spend the extra time with her; and I won't have to worry about her getting lost in the shuffle, so to speak. I'm also homeschooling her 2 older brothers, and we co-op with another homeschooler 2 days a week.

So that is our journey with Childhood Apraxia so far.

Freedom

Okay, deep breathe. I am posting this after walking around the house for 10 minutes in an attempt to cool down. I am generally a very easy-going person, I would go so far as to say a peacemaker. I hate fussing and discord. But there are times my Irish temper rises to the surface and gets the best of me.

Each morning I turn on my computer to my MSN homepage. Since I don't have a tv, this helps to keep me knowledgable about news in general so I know what's going on in the world. I love this because I can read what I want to, and don't have to listen to the news anchors giving everything their own personal spin. Enough said.

So I clicked on the story of Major Andrew Olmsted, a soldier killed in Iraq on Jan.3. It seems he was a blogger for the Rocky Mountain News paper, and had sent someone a post that was to be published in the event of his death. And so it was. It's worth your time to read this article, but if you do, don't read the comments as I did. He urged people not to politicize his death. He was doing something he loved, he was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. As I read the comments I was moved to tears to see people unite in their appreciation and respect. I especially was touched by other present military and veterans who left moving sentiments for their fallen "brother".

But there always has to be a rotten apple in the bunch. You know, that person who loves their "freedom of speech" but has no clue how he happens to have that freedom. Living in America gives so many a feeling of entitlement. I DESERVE ...because I live in America. Imagine, you can be unemployed, and you can still have a roof over your head and food in your stomach.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not against seeking assistance for the occasional hard time, I've been there myself. Even in this country we have times of unemployment and tough times. Yet this is still the dream country to so many people. Could it be we Americans have had it too good? Are our children growing up and not being taught how blessed our Country is, how fortunate they are to be living here? It seemed 9/11 would have been a wake-up call. Instead, a few short years later, everyone seems to want the "bad war" to go away.

Have I lost anyone in this war? No. I haven't had a relative in combat since my Grandfather was in World War II. Do I teach my children about freedom and the sacrifices being made now (and in the past)? You better believe it! Did I mention their were a few others that jumped on board with the bad apple. It seems they had a problem with people calling Maj.Olmsted a heroe. Let me see, if I understand this right, this is THEIR way of thinking: I (they)can have freedom of speech, but don't you DARE call someone a hero that I (they)don't think is a hero! Could this be their definition of a hero: someone who wears a red and blue spider suit and spins webs out of his fingertips? (Not to cast aspersions on the Spideyman, I'm a great fan myself) So getting killed by a sniper during your second trip to Iraq doesn't qualify you as a hero. Hmmm...Sounds political to me. Also sounds like a coward with a mile-long stripe down his back. ( Don't worry, that's as verbally vicious as I get).

And don't EVEN try to make this political. We have military people serving in Iraq who also disagree with this war- as is their right if they so choose. But they still go to war because they believe in freedom, and know it requires sacrifice.

Have I sent a son off to war?

At the ages of 10 and 8, the answer is no.

Would I?

I truly hope I will have raised my sons to be MEN who will know the right thing to do if the time comes to make that decision. And it WILL be THEIR decision. But this one thing I CAN do: I can teach them that freedom isn't free, that many have, and many will, give the ultimate sacrifice and that they OWE these fallen/living heroes respect. That they are NOT entitled to this freedom. We only continue to enjoy it because of what other courageous men and women have done.

There will always be those who will use their freedom of speech to attack these honorable men and women, never realizing they would be sentenced to death for that very thing in many other countries.

Ignorance is not a crime, just a shame.

And should you feel so inclined to respond to this with political mumbo-jumbo- don't bother. Don't bother unless you've had the guts to do what this major did- put your life on the line so that MY children can live in this great country and enjoy it's countless freedoms.

As for myself, I humbly offer my condolences to Maj.Olmsted's family, as well as those who have lost loved ones in this war. And I offer my deepest gratitude and respect to our former and present military. I pray for the safe return of our soldiers in Iraq.

I leave you with a quote from the posthumous last entry to Major Andrew Olmsted's blog:

"I'm dead, but if you're reading this, you're not, so take a moment and enjoy that happy fact."

I was Glad

Sundays, in our household, is probably the busiest day of the week. There are days where I am gone from home more, or even do more activities. But preparing for church (baths, dressing, gathering misc. items needed), attending morning and evening services (where I serve in several areas) and the other everyday things such as meals, cleaning,ect. make it the most tiring day of my week. I have had this same routine for many years, and it actually messes up my week mentally when I veer from it to stay home with a sick child or such.

Some people find it admirable that someone would attend church as much as we do (3-4x a week), others think we're quite strange. Many people consider it their personal day of rest- you know, time to kick back your feet, watch the ballgames, get jobs done around the house, even spend time with the kids. I even (occasionally) almost envy the thought of having this time at home.

Please understand,I'm not judging other people. One of the great things about our Country is our freedom to choose (or not to choose) to worship. Many intelligent and knowledgable men claim that God, or religion, is just a crutch for those who are weak. I feel sad for someone who would think that.

My belief and faith in God strengthens me and gives me peace in the midst of lifes ups and downs. It helps me make better decisions than I would make otherwise. Like a ship in the midst of the storm that needs the captain at the helm, I need God's help in directing my life.

In a world where people are continually seeking something or someone to make them happy, I often wonder why more people don't turn to God. With so many broken homes, abuse, addictions. Most of hollywoods famous seem to be walking examples of this.

I often see comments left on newsites talking about Christian fanatics, and they are usually not positive ones. To me, being a Christian is not about your religion, it's about your relationship with God. There are people doing horrible things in the name of their "god". To lump together everyone who calls themselves Christians is a mistake. Just as if I were to say everyone who doesn't call themselves a Christian is a heathen, reprobate or bad. It's not about the label. We've all met the so-called "wolves in sheeps clothing." I know people who are "Christians" who treat their wives terrible and have no time for their own kids. And I know people who never darken a church door, who take excellent care of their families and guide their children.

I DO think you cannot have true peace without God. And I DO believe that there is only one way to get to Heaven. I choose to have faith in God.

So, at the end of my ramblings, I will say what I meant to say before I got off track. I am glad that Sunday is a busy day and that I spend it mostly at Church. I'm thankful I have that choice, that freedom. I'm thankful that I have a Pastor that teaches me from God's Word how to best live my life. As David so aptly put it "I was glad when they said unto me, let us go into the House of the Lord."

Colds and Congestion

I am really trying to knock out a wicked cold/sore throat combo right now. Why is it that I always get sick at the worse times? Lol

Okay, so maybe there isn't a GOOD time to get sick. But with a full day of church tommorrow, and traveling both Monday and Tuesday to another church to run a kid's program for special meetings, this really isn't the best time! I will drag myself half-dead to church on Sunday Morning to teach my Sunday School class- I'm not irreplacable, but those little girls mean alot to me (unless I am contageous that is). Last week I went with the beginning of a migraine and had to leave morning church service early. But I turned out to be the only female teacher there that morning, so it was important that I was there.

There's also the fact that I don't like to send my daughter (5yrs) without me. I'm in a position to keep an eye on her when I'm there. Unfortunately, anywhere is a place for predators, even churches (less you think I'm overboard here, I'm not; but that's another post).

But with a family to take care of I will probably spend the next 24 (during which hubby will tend to the kids, although the house will still look like a tornadoe touched down, but hey, they won't starve) and try to get a little extra rest. I've already been drinking 64oz of water daily this week (hurrah for me!) so I'll add the vitamin C and chicken broth.

My monthly "visitor" is also here (just between us girls) and so with it's symptoms I'm not sure which one is giving me the hot flashes! I am very happy to say I usually have alot of pain during this time, but have noticed when I eat healthy and drink lots of water it seems to make a big difference. So, Yes I feel crummy, but it could be oh so much worse (Isn't that called looking on the bright side?)

I think this is the perfect time to curl up with a book a dear friend gave me for Christmas, a true story of espionage behind the iron curtain. It doesn't get much better than that!

Temptation

Okay, it's the first official day of my lowfat diet and what does hubby bring home? Would you believe pumpkin walnut bread and those really yummy twist pastry things from Starbucks, and a Dove dark chocolate bar (Okay, so I asked for the last one). I mean, I'm only human here!

He didn't buy them, they were given to him. But still....I'm very proud of myself, I threw the pastry in the trash- I knew I would never be desperate enough to dig it out of there.

So I leave you with this word of wisdom: It's easier to avoid buying a food, than resisting it once it's in your refrigerator. So true.

Taking that first step

Today, in keeping with one of my New Years resolutions, I signed up with myfooddiary.com. I am really excited about this.

In the past, I've found one of the best stratagies for losing weight is to keep a journal of EVERYTHING that goes in the mouth. It really makes you think twice about those extra helpings and misc. tidbits that add lots of extra calories. So in the past I would scribble down all the info. in a notebook and figure the calories at the end of the day.

Well, out with the old,in with the new- this site keeps track of all this, my exercise (of any kind) and even keeps track of fiber, iron, good fats, and other misc. stuff I never tried to keep track of before. You can then look at a daily report on your progress and see what you need to work on. Now, I know there are those of you who would probably hate to see a daily report like that, but I love lists and being able to see progress while working towards a goal, so this will work great for me.

I am also going to be working up to an hour each day on the treadmill (slowly but surely) and I am incorporating an exercise routine with the kids into our schoolday. It will be fun to do this together, and will help them get some energy out during our rainy weather season.

I want to lose about 20 pounds, but my main goal is to get fit and feel better. With my pregnancies, migraines and female issues, I've spent more than enough time feeling sick, fatigued, and overall crummy. And I'm convinced that I can naturally feel much better than this. Naturally meaning without taking pills or stimulants to get there. Sounds a little overoptimistic? Maybe so, but I already feel better just taking the first step.

Under construction

Please excuse the mess as I remodel my blog a little bit. While this isn't the best time for me to do this (timewise) I thought the Christmas theme was starting to get a little stale. So hopefully in a week or so I will have a new look (it will take me that long just to figure out Bloggers settings).

Resolutions

There are so many things I should be doing right now. It would seem the price for taking time off would be 3x the work when you get back. So my resolutions shall be short and sweet:

1) Getting Fit (quite different from losing weight) I know this is the cause of alot of fatique and sickness for people in general. And I really have no good excuse for not being fit (like most people, but not all).

2) More time studying the Bible; not just reading the Bible, but actually studying it. My kid's are asking more and more questians about what we believe, and I'm not content to give them the generic answers. So study time for Mom!

3) I am really anxious to try some new things for school. I would like to do much more hands-on lessons, kindof getting beyond the basic workbook (I know, not really definite now, I'll write more later).

4) More fun time with the kids. Which sounds funny since I'm with them almost 24/7, but any homeschooling mom would probably agree it's easy to use up alot of your mom/kid time with schoolwork (or maybe it's just me ).